Streaming repetition coded compression

Abstract

A method for transmitting a compressed image via a network, the method comprising: converting ( 11 ) the compressed image into a plurality of images, each of the plurality of images having a predetermined resolution level which is less than the original resolution of the image; transforming ( 12 ) each of the plurality of images into a data stream; and transmitting ( 13 ) each data stream in order according to resolution level, from the lowest resolution level to the original resolution of the image; wherein the compressed image is an image compressed ( 10 ) by comparing each image element with a previous image element and; if they are both equal, a first value is recorded; and if they are not both equal, a second value is recorded.

1. A method for transmitting a compressed image via a network, the method comprising:
 converting the compressed image into a plurality of images, each of the plurality of images having a predetermined resolution level which is less than the original resolution of the compressed image; 
 transforming each of the plurality of images into a data stream; and 
 transmitting each data stream in order according to resolution level, from the lowest resolution level to the original resolution of the compressed image; 
 wherein the compressed image is an image compressed by comparing each image element with a previous image element and: if they are both equal, a first value is recorded; and if they are not both equal, a second value is recorded. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising decompressing the compressed image, the decompressing comprising:
 run-length decoding the compressed data; 
 arithmetically decoding the compressed data; 
 reverse transforming the decoded data; and 
 rearranging the transformed decoded data into a lossless decompressed form. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising progressively displaying the image as each data stream is received and decompressed. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising displaying the image after all data streams are received and decompressed. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmission of the data streams is interruptible before the transmission of the data stream having the original resolution of the compressed image. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the compressed image is transformed into each resolution level by dividing the original resolution by a predetermined integer. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein all images have the same bit depth. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the initial step of:
 comparing each image element with a previous image element and if they are within a predetermined range of each other, modifying the image element to be equal to the previous image element; 
 where repetition is increased to enable lossy compression of the image. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second values are recorded in a bit plane. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising encoding repeating first and second values in the bit plane into a bit plane index. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the images are archived images in a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), and the data streams are transmitted from a distributed storage server. 
     
     
       12. A Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) comprising:
 at least one modality to collect images; 
 a gateway to receive the collected images and compress the collected images, the gateway compressing each collected image by comparing each image element with a previous image element and: if they are both equal, a first value is recorded; and if they are not both equal, a second value is recorded; 
 a storage device to store the compressed images; 
 at least one workstation to retrieve and display images; 
 wherein each compressed image is transmitted to the at least one workstation by converting the compressed image into a plurality of images, each of the plurality of images having a predetermined resolution level which is less than the original resolution of the compressed image; 
 transforming each of the plurality of images into a data stream; and 
 transmitting each data stream in order according to resolution level, from the lowest resolution level to the original resolution of the compressed image. 
 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a streaming sever to provide additional load balancing within the system. 
     
     
       14. The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the storage device comprises an online storage portion to store the data streams and an offline storage portion to store compressed images. 
     
     
       15. The system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a database server to manage the workflow within the system. 
     
     
       16. The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one modality is any one of: X-RAY, CT, MRI, and US. 
     
     
       17. The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the gateway is a DICOM gateway. 
     
     
       18. The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the compressed image is transformed into each resolution level by dividing the original resolution by a different predetermined value. 
     
     
       19. The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of images each represent the compressed image. 
     
     
       20. The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the predetermined resolution level is independent of the compressed image. 
     
     
       21. The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the predetermined resolution level is independent of the transmission. 
     
     
       22. A method for transmitting a compressed image via a network, the method comprising:
 providing an image that includes image elements; 
 compressing the image into a first image by comparing each image element with a previous image element and if they are both equal, a first value is recorded, and if they are not both equal, a second value is recorded, wherein the first image has a first resolution; 
 generating second and third images based on the first image, wherein the second image represents the first image at a second resolution which is less than the first resolution, the third image represents the first image at a third resolution which is less than the second resolution, and the second and third resolutions are predetermined; 
 transforming the first, second and third images into respective first, second and third data streams; and 
 ordering the first, second and third data streams for transmission in sequence as the third data stream, then the second data stream, and then the first data stream in response to the first, second and third resolutions. 
 
     
     
       23. The method according to  claim 22 , wherein:
 the second image is generated at the second resolution by dividing the first resolution by a second integer; and 
 the third image is generated at the third resolution by dividing the first resolution by a third integer which is greater than the second integer. 
 
     
     
       24. The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the first, second and third images have the same bit depth. 
     
     
       25. The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the second and third resolutions and the ordering are independent of image content. 
     
     
       26. The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the second and third resolutions and the ordering are independent of image transmission. 
     
     
       27. The method according to  claim 22 , further comprising recording the first and second values in a bit plane. 
     
     
       28. The method according to  claim 22 , further comprising transmitting the third data stream, then the second data stream, and then the first data stream from a streaming server. 
     
     
       29. The method according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 transmitting the third data stream, then the second data stream, and then the first data stream; and 
 progressively displaying the third image as the third data stream is received and decompressed, then the second image as the second data stream is received and decompressed, and then the first image as the first data stream is received and decompressed. 
 
     
     
       30. The method according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 transmitting the third data stream, then the second data stream, and then interrupting the transmission to prevent transmitting the first data stream; and 
 progressively displaying the third image as the third data stream is received and decompressed, then the second image as the second data stream is received and decompressed, and not the first image. 
 
     
     
       31. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the compressed image is transformed into each resolution level by dividing the original resolution by a different predetermined value. 
     
     
       32. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of images each represent the compressed image. 
     
     
       33. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined resolution level is independent of the compressed image. 
     
     
       34. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined resolution level is independent of the transmission.